Dutchman Detained for Dealing Details of Tens of Millions of People

The accused sold an enormous data set stolen from the Austrian radio and television licensing authority — to an undercover cop.

Dark Reading Staff, Dark Reading

January 26, 2023

1 Min Read
Amsterdam canal - Holland Netherlands
AmsterdamSource: Jan Wlodarczyk via Alamy Stock Photo

The stolen personal information of tens of millions of people from across the world was put up for sale on a cybercrime forum by a 25-year-old from the Netherlands, according to authorities.

He's now in custody after he sold it to an undercover Austrian cop, Dutch prosecutors said.

The data was lifted from an Austrian radio and television licensing agency and contained personal data on residents of Britain, China, Colombia, Thailand, and the Netherlands, Dutch prosecutors allege.

The unnamed accused, who lives in Amsterdam, has been in Dutch custody for three months, according to reports, but the arrest was just made public this week.

"The man is suspected of trading the personal details of tens of millions of people, stolen from all over the world," Dutch prosecutors told Agence France-Presse.

The suspect faces charges related to stealing personal data, breaking into computer systems, and laundering cryptocurrency.

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Dark Reading Staff

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